In response to the vandalism of their Black Lives Matter sign by the Proud Boys, the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. is launching a project to further support their social justice work and that of national groups. The project, which will be posted on the church’s website, aims to provide a space for discussions about social justice concerns and ways to address them. The church recently won a ruling that barred the Proud Boys from selling merchandise using its name or symbols without permission.
Enrique Tarrio, one of the Proud Boys’ leaders, has stated that he does not plan to sell any merchandise online or in a store, but plans to appeal the court decision. He claims that his organization is not a white supremacist group and intends to make shirts with a different name. However, the church sees this as an opportunity to turn a negative situation into a positive one. They hope to capitalize on the attention by supporting the work of the church and other organizations addressing issues like environmental justice, health disparities, and food insecurity.
Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the oldest Black churches in Washington, has a history of involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. They recently replaced the vandalized Black Lives Matter sign with a larger one, continuing their commitment to social justice and activism. The church aims to deepen their existing work and build on their legacy of fighting for civil rights.
